Weight gain and maturity in fetuses exposed to low levels of lead

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(05)80097-0· OSTI ID:5942336

Bellinger, D; Leviton, A; Rabinowitz, M ^[1]; Allred, E ^[2]; Needleman, H ^[3]; Schoenbaum, S ^[4]

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1. Children's Hospital, Boston, MA (United States) Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States)
2. Children's Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)
3. Western Psychiatric Inst. and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA (United States) Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
4. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States) Harvard Community Health Plan, Cambridge, MA (United States)

The relationship between prenatal low-level lead exposure and fetal growth was evaluated in a sample of 4,354 pregnancies in which the mean umbilical cord blood lead level was 7.0 {mu}g/dl. Higher cord blood lead levels were significantly associated with gestations of slightly longer duration. Comparing infants with cord blood lead levels {much gt} 15 {mu}g/dl to those with levels < 5 {mu}g/dl, adjusted risk ratios of 1.5 to 2.5 were observed for low birth weight (<2,500 g) and for fetal growth indices that express birth weight as a function of length of gestation (e.g., small-for-gestational age, intrauterine growth retardation). The 95% confidence intervals of these risk ratios included 1, however, precluding rejection of the null hypothesis of no association. The authors conclude that the risk of adverse fetal growth is not increased at cord blood lead levels <15 {mu}g/dl but that modest increases in risk may be associated with levels {much gt} 15 {mu}g/dl.

• OSTI ID: 5942336
• Journal Information: Environmental Research; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Research; (United States) Vol. 54:2; ISSN ENVRA; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE GROUPS
ANIMAL GROWTH
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BODY FLUIDS
CHILDREN
ELEMENTS
FETAL MEMBRANES
FETUSES
GROWTH
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INFANTS
LEAD
MATERIALS
MEMBRANES
METALS
ONTOGENESIS
PATIENTS
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
RISK ASSESSMENT
WEIGHT